The following relates to improving security of portable electronic transmitters often used in home automation and/or security system applications. Currently, many security and automation systems use triggering mechanisms as a way to initiate or trigger system changes. In general, however, these triggering mechanisms broadcast out in the open without any signal protection from calculated, malicious attackers. These attackers often potentially sift or replicate the triggering mechanism's signals—such as a “disarm” signal—replicate the signal, and then employ a counterfeit triggering mechanism. This counterfeit triggering mechanism allows the attacker to effectively bypass the security or the automation system protection by counterfeiting the signal and remaining undetected.
The inventors produced solutions to the above-highlighted problems by creating new ways for a secure portable transmitter—including key fobs—and associated communications. In some embodiments the inventors' solutions include using specifically designed encryption algorithms using keys, authentication algorithms using secret information, and/or changing and/or rotating certain information as a way to prevent these malicious attack on conventional “out in the open” signals.